By Holly Yan, Rafael Romo, CNN

(CNN) — An innocent bystander at a “No Kings” protest in Utah was shot and killed by a “peacekeeper” who was aiming for a different man pointing an AR-15-style rifle toward the crowd, witnesses told Salt Lake City police.

Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, 39, was fatally wounded Saturday evening, police said. He was a husband, a father and a renowned fashion designer, according to a GoFundMe page established to help his widow Laura and their two children.

Ah Loo, who went by the name Afa, was also a co-founder of the nonprofit Creative Pacific and appeared on the fashion design reality TV show “Project Runway.”

He was among 10,000 protesters who packed downtown Salt Lake City for a “No Kings” protest – one of 2,000 events nationwide denouncing the Trump administration.

While authorities have not released details about the peacekeeper who shot Ah Loo, the man who was spotted carrying the rifle was arrested on suspicion of murder.

“The preliminary investigation shows Ah Loo was participating in the demonstration and appears to have been an innocent bystander who was not the intended target of the gunfire,” Salt Lake City police said.

Gunfire erupted around 7:56 p.m. “As panic spread throughout the area, hundreds of people ran for safety, hiding in parking garages, behind barriers, and going into nearby businesses,” police said.

Officers then found Ah Loo, who was gravely wounded and later died from his injuries.

Moments later, police were flagged down nearby and “found a man crouching among a group of people with a gunshot wound,” police said. The man, later identified as 24-year-old Arturo Gamboa, was dressed in all black with a black mask.

“As officers approached, community members pointed out a nearby firearm, which was described as an AR-15-style rifle. Officers also located a gas mask, black clothing, and a backpack in close proximity.”

Witnesses reported the man had been wielding the rifle in a firing position and running toward the protesters, police said.

Gamboa drew the attention of two peacekeepers “who were wearing high-visibility neon green vests and carrying handguns,” and one of them “fired three rounds,” Salt Lake City police said.

“One round struck Gamboa, while another tragically wounded Mr. Ah Loo.”

Salt Lake City police said Monday the peacekeepers were not “overseen, sanctioned, or trained” by the department and neither of the men are current or former law enforcement officers.

Gamboa was taken to a hospital and later booked into the Salt Lake County Metro Jail “on a charge of murder,” police said Sunday. It is not immediately clear if Gamboa has an attorney.

“Detectives have developed probable cause that Gamboa acted under circumstances that showed a depraved indifference to human life, knowingly engaged in conduct that created a grave risk of death and ultimately caused the death of an innocent community member.”

But on Monday morning, the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office told CNN no charges had been finalized in the case. The DA’s office said the case was still in the hands of the police department.

“As this continues to be an active investigation, any comment at this time would be inappropriate,” Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said in a statement.

CNN asked Salt Lake City police Monday for more details about Gamboa’s potential murder charge and whether the person who shot Ah Loo might also face charges.

“Detectives are still actively investigating this case, to include the actions of the peacekeepers,” Salt Lake City police wrote. “Detectives have not been able to determine, at this time, why Gamboa pulled out his rifle and began to manipulate it or why he ran from the peacekeepers when they confronted him.”

The two peacekeepers, who have not been identified, were detained and interviewed, police said.

“From the department’s standpoint, these persons are considered members of the public, subject to the same rights and responsibilities as any other person in Utah,” police said in a Monday statement.

The police department also said it was unclear whether they were hired or volunteered for the event, “or acted on their own initiative,” and a permit for the protest did not details plans to have organized or armed security.

“The Salt Lake City Police Department does not direct or manage security roles and responsibilities unless that requirement is outlined in the event’s approved permit, of which it was not,” police added.

Volunteer peacekeeping teams are common for protests, a national grassroots organization told The Associated Press.

Typically, organizers ask attendees – including the peacekeepers – to not bring any weapons, said Sarah Parker, a national coordinator for 50501 Movement, a partner in the “No Kings” protest.

But the Salt Lake City peacekeepers likely stopped what could have been a much larger tragedy, Parker told the AP.

“Our safety team did as best as they could in a situation that is extremely sad and extremely scary,” she said.

The-CNN-Wire
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